RT Book, Section A1 Fasiuddin, Orooj A1 Vellody, Kishore A1 Zitelli, Basil J. A2 Shah, Samir S. SR Print(0) ID 6902443 T1 Chapter 12. Neck Pain T2 Pediatric Practice: Infectious Disease YR 2009 FD 2009 PB The McGraw-Hill Companies PP New York, NY SN 978-0-07-148924-9 LK accesspediatrics.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=6902443 RD 2024/10/07 AB Neck stiffness is defined as limited cervical range of motion caused by muscle spasm. This limitation can occur with flexion, extension, rotation, or lateral bending and may or may not be associated with pain. Nuchal rigidity, on the other hand, is pain with limitation through all ranges and is typically caused by significant meningeal irritation in the same manner peritonitis causes abdominal rigidity. Meningismus describes signs of meningeal irritation, typically pain with limited cervical flexion, in the absence of true meningitis.1